Manivannan passes away!

He was 59 and his last film as director and actor was Nagaraja Cholan MA, which released last month.

Manivannan has directed 50 films in Tamil and is better known for his acting in pivotal character roles in 405 films. He has acted alongside many stars including Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, though audiences consider his combination with 'best friend' Sathyaraj in 25 films as his finest performances.

Manivannan hailed from a small town called Sulur near Coimbatore. Manivannan was a strong supporter of the Tamil Eelam and also campaigned for Vaiko's Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK).

He is survived by his wife Sengamalam, a daughter Jothi, and a son Raghuvannan, who is an actor.